ESWP was honored to host Arletta Scott-Williams, Executive Director of ALCOSAN, at our May 22 Women’s Roundtable Luncheon, attended by 80 guests. ESWP Board Member Tanya McCoy Caretti (ARCADIS) served as Master of Ceremonies for the interview, which was very lively and informative, as well as entertaining! The gathering learned so much about Ms. Scott-Williams education and career path as well as family and life interests beyond ALCOSAN. Big thanks to both Arletta and Tanya for participating! If you have suggestions for future guests at ESWP’s Women’s Roundtable, please contact us!

Pittsburgh-based geotechnical general contractor Nicholson Construction was recently awarded a $20 million contract as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT’s) massive Interstate 95 improvement project. The I-95 project is a long-term, multiphase initiative to rebuild, improve and widen sections of the roadway, which is a vital link for millions of residents and businesses in the area. I-95 currently supports approximately 102,000 motorists, including trucks, per day.

Nicholson will be installing 1,759 micropiles as part of the replacement of a three-mile elevated section of I-95. The company has worked on a number of projects with PennDOT, including their current micropile project for the Walsh/Granite JV bridge replacement on SR23 in Columbia, PA. “We have a long history of working all over the state with PennDOT,” said Mark Rothbauer, Regional Manager, Nicholson Construction. “We’re really happy to bring our expertise to the I-95 project, which is going to have a positive impact on so many residents and drivers in the Philadelphia area.”

ESWP Members: if you have company or people news, please send it to us!

We are now accepting applications for the ESWP Members Scholarship. Applicants must be the spouse, child, or grandchild (natural, step, adopted or ward) of a member in good standing for one or more previous, continuous years of the ESWP. Scholarship applicants should be current high school seniors, or currently enrolled full-time undergraduate students in engineering, architecture or applied sciences at an accredited college or university. The application deadline is July 31, 2018 for the 2018-19 academic year. Please contact the ESWP offices to request an application.

Congratulations to Stephen Canton, who was named the Future City 2018 Alumnus of the Year by the international Future City Competition. Canton participated in the Pittsburgh Regional Future City Competition in 2004 and 2005, when he was a student at St. Benedict the Moor School in Pittsburgh. Now a University of Pittsburgh medical student, Canton said “In my current roles as a researcher, bioengineer and physician to be, I utilize skills that I learned while participating in Future City.” Canton has a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in kinesiology from Louisiana State University. He expects to complete his medical degree with a concentration in bioengineering, biotechnology, and innovation from Pitt’s School of Medicine in 2020.

Congratulations to The Ellis School, for placing 15th in the National Future City Competition! The Ellis School was the winning team from the Pittsburgh Regional Competition, and represented Pittsburgh in the Nationals, held in Washington, D.C., over National Engineers Week. Overall, 44 teams competed in the national competition. For more information on Future City, click here: https://futurecity.org/pennsylvania-pittsburgh

We just wrapped up a very successful National Engineers Week with lots of activity from ESWP and our affiliates! ESWP’s annual engineering awards banquet was held on February 15 with 400 guests in attendance, with a great response from our attendees. During engineers week ESWP played host to the annual banquets celebrating engineering from ASCE and PSPE, as well as played a part in a number of other engineers week activities promoting the profession including the annual Future City competition. Congratulations to all of the award recipients!

Great turnout last night at the ESWP President’s Reception, in honor of incoming President Robert J. Ward, P.E. (CannonDesign) and the entire Board of Directors. Guests were treated to a sumptuous buffet filled with delicious items from Chef Kevin. Everyone at the gathering enjoyed great networking as well – it really has the feel of a homecoming – it seemed that no one wanted the evening to end!

ESWP Award Winners

The Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania (ESWP) is pleased to announce the winners of our 2017 Awards of Distinction! The awards, along with the William Metcalf Award presented to J. Fred Graham, will be presented at ESWP’s 135th Annual Engineering Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 15, 2018 at the Westin [Convention Center] Hotel. Guest speaker is Jimmy Krenn, with Master of Ceremonies Rick Sebak. More information and reservations can be found here.

Engineer of the Year

Thomas E. Donatelli, P.E.

Currently Vice-President, Operations Manager/ Construction Services for Michael Baker International and former Director of Public Works for Allegheny County

Projects of the Year

Transportation Category

Beechwood Boulevard (Greenfield) Bridge Replacement

The Greenfield Bridge Project offered a unique opportunity to implement state-of-the art design practices while creating a landmark structure at the entrance to one of Pittsburgh’s most historic parks. This setting encouraged an innovative, context sensitive design that embraced the bridge’s role as not just a transportation facility, but as a part of the community. The reuse of architectural elements from the previous bridge in the new design reestablished the bridge as a grand entrance to the park. Additionally, innovative design concepts allowed the steel arch and floor system to be erected in just one weekend closure of the underlying Interstate.

Owner: City of Pittsburgh

Designer: HDR

Constructor: Mosites Construction

Commercial Category

Union Trust Building

The 11‐story Union Trust Building was built in 1915 and 1916 by coal and steel magnate Henry Clay Frick on a full block of downtown Pittsburgh. The Flemish‐Gothic Union Trust originally opened to much fanfare as a multi‐level shopping arcade with 240 shops on the lower levels and 700 offices above. The Commercial 667,000 square foot Office Building costs $36 million to renovate.

Industrial/Energy Category

Shell Early Works Project

In 2017, the joint venture of Trumbull Energy Services and Mascaro completed the largest oil and gas project in the Commonwealth, the construction of the Shell Corporation’s 400-acre ethylene cracker plant in Monaca, PA. This is the first multi-billion dollar petrochemical plant investment associated with the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. We successfully moved 7 million cubic yards of earth, built 2 bridges, constructed 4 large retaining walls, and installed over 48,000 feet of underground piping while seamlessly deploying crews working around the clock. In addition, we are constructing a rail terminal, parking garage, and control building onsite as well
as an off-site parking facility.

Owner: Shell Corporation

Owner’s Rep: Jacobs Engineering

General Contractors: PJ Dick / Mascaro

Sustainability Category

Frick Environmental Center

The Frick Environmental Center is a new environmental education facility located in Frick Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The project is the first Living Building Challenge-targeted facility that is both municipally owned and free and fully open to the public.

Innovative Category

In 2016, Larson Design Group (LDG) teamed with Trillium CNG to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a program of CNG fueling stations in Pennsylvania. The stations will supply locally sourced compressed natural gas (CNG) to more than 1,600 public-transit buses at 29 agencies across the Commonwealth to save fuel and operational costs at a net zero development cost to taxpayers.

Thank you to all who supported of our Chinese Auction, held in conjunction with our December 20 Members Holiday Buffet. From your support, a donation was made to the Red Door Program at St. Mary of Mercy Church, in downtown Pittsburgh. ALL monies received through the auction ticket sales were donated directly to this worthy cause, and was received with graciousness on the part of the recipients. Thanks also to the many donors who allowed us to present so many attractive prizes on the auction – your generosity is much appreciated!